Effectiveness of resource management of Lebanese NGOs in response to COVID-19 and the Syrian crisis

Abstract

Crises are appearing widely in different regions of the world. The Syrian war was considered one of the largest humanitarian crises where Lebanon hosted many displaced Syrians. Recently, the coronavirus outbreak coincided with a severe socio-political and economic crisis in the country. COVID-19 affected NGOs’ response to the community and refugees. Henceforth, the study examined NGO activities and strategies in response to the Syrian refugee crisis during and after COVID-19 to identify future effective practices. The paper is based on qualitative data. Forty representatives from NGOs in Lebanon participated in semi-structured interviews. They reported on (i) the influence of COVID-19 on NGOs’ activities, (ii) effective strategies for supporting Syrian refugees and the host community, and (iii) evaluation of NGOs’ achievements and failures to provide services for the community during COVID-19. Data disclosed that COVID-19 enhanced the need for different activities to support refugees and the host community but failed to procure funds and get the necessary support from the funding agencies. The paper suggested that both government and donor agencies should enhance support for NGOs during crisis times, with better communication among stakeholders being crucial. A resource dependency theory was developed and supported by stakeholder perspectives. Based on the research findings, implications, and future research suggestions are proposed.